The Truth Behind These Days
by MarkFu2
Summary: They said they were just visions. But what if they were actually memories? Hiro and the Stride Enforcers saw things that the AI government didn't want them to see. Now the group began to suspect their secrets and their purpose of locking them along with a large population inside an invisible dome known as the 'Wall.' Just what were they hiding? Only one way to find out.
1. Character Info

**AI Government-** an organization that keeps people safe in the city and fight off those who threatens the city such as an enemy from the other side of the wall.

* * *

 **Stride Enforcers**

Name: Hiro Oozora

Gender: Male

Age: 19

Rank: Co-Captain

Alias: Master of Weaponry, Armed Soldier, Weapon Shifter, Mr. Impossible (by his teammates)

Appearance: When he is not sent to military missions, he wore a light blue hoodie jacket with lines that have the teeth of a gear and the sleeves were folded in cuffs, and beneath was a simple black shirt. He wore a light blue pants with lines going down from where his black belt hang and dark blue trainers.

Personality: [Look up at the wiki/ you already knew what kind of person he is.]

LBX: Word (a LBX version of Perseus Anartetsu)

Name: Zachary Kota

Gender: Male

Age: 19

Rank: Second in command

Alias: Ace Speedster, Zach (as his nickname), Slowpoke (by Elize Farloyn)

Appearance: He has black spiky and messy hair and sharp black eyes. He is described as a young man with healthy muscular build with reflexes, supposedly making him a fast runner. While he isn't in military missions, he wore a dark blue vest covered by an orange sleeveless hoodie with a big Chinese symbol at the back (something like the one on Goku's from Dragon Ball Z), orange trousers, blue belt buckle, and blue trainer boots.

Personality: Zach is a cheery guy with a big care free personality. But sometimes a care free person can often be serious when it comes to the most exaggerating situations. He hardly ever listens to anyone's orders except the ones who he thought of them as his 'serious' friend. Even if he was entitled as 'Ace Speedster' in the group, Zach is often a jokester and he mostly give nicknames that describes the person he knew of; Hiro as 'Mr. Impossible' due to him things that are impossible, Taichi as 'Smarty' due to him being the smartest in young age, and Elize as 'Siri' due to her answering many questions and fast in searching stuff. He also have a protective side over his best friend and crush, Elize Farloyn.

LBX: Forasaku

Name: Elize Farloyn

Gender: Female

Age: 18

Rank: First in command, Secretary

Alias: Noel's little sister, The Ice Empress, Ely (by her teammates), Siri (by Zach)

Appearance: She is described as a young woman with very pale skin and her medium cut hair is pure white as snow and her eyes are light blue crystal making her a somewhat figure of an ice empress, as accordingly to her alias. When she is not in military missions, she wore a blue jacket with a snowflake symbol on both of her sleeves and underneath was a buttoned white polo shirt. She wore a light sky blue skirt, white kneesocks, and white shoes.

Personality: In battle, she usually gives cold glares, and cold shoulders whoever had a grudge against her or who mistakenly messing with the wrong woman. But outside of the battlefield, she shows her true colors. She is a sweet loving person that gives her kindness towards others, especially her big brother Noel. She can be very playful and sometimes annoyed with Zach's jokes and him nicknaming her 'Siri' due to her being the only member answering questions, and being able to find something in five seconds. According to Hiro's and Taichi's point of views, she is somewhat a sister figure to Hiro, and a mother figure to Taichi. She have romantic feelings towards Zach.

LBX: Evelpista (the name is a greek word for hope)

Name: Taichi Avioproi

Gender: Male

Age: 11

Rank: Mechanic, Strategist

Alias: Young Genious, The Brilliant Maker, Smarty (by Zach)

Appearance: Taichi have short brown hair and dark brown eyes and his skin is midly pale and tan. He doesn't look much like a genious but his choice of clothing and appearance helps him cover most of his pure intelligent traits and as well as his alias and membership of the Stride Enforcer group. Outside of military missions, he wore a simple white vest, darkish yellow hoodie, khaki shorts, and yellow trainers.

Personality: Like what his aliases, and Zach nicknaming him 'Smarty' accordingly, Taichi is the smartest in the group. He can be very shy when it came upon meeting a new person and making friends, and almost timid in silly scenarios. He is fond of LBXs after they were first introduced and was later making his own with a few parts of certain LBXs and others that relates to building and modeling.

LBX: Detonator Elysion


	2. Mission I

"Strides," a man's voice spoke through the speaker. "Your mission is to ambush the train that headed towards our enemy's base. Take control over the train before it reaches its destination."

Hiro grinned. "Copy that Cap."

"You got it, Old-timer." Zach smirked.

Ely sighed. "Again with the nicknames guys."

"Everyone I already set where you supposed to go." Taichi announced. "Stand by for launching."

"Okay," Hiro said. "Let's do this!"

* * *

Somewhere in the outskirts a speed train sped on the tracks and was guided by several LBX brown Deqoos and LBX brown DCQs. Their trip to the base was somehow peaceful and the members of the Ferar group didn't seem to like one bit about it as they continued on.

"Keep your eyes peel, people." One member said. "Predators can be anywhere to pursuit this train."

"Not to mention, the Stride Enforcers are the worst predators." The other member reminded them.

While they're in the amidst of a desserted dry land, one Deqoo was shot down by a gun fire.

The Ferar group was alarmed.

"What was that!?"

"Ferars, five o'clock!"

All of them turned to the direction.

Twenty miles away from them, their scanners zoomed in and spotted a LBX blue and green Perseus version and a LBX Evelpista flying with the help of booster rocketry as they chase for the train.

The Ferar began firing just before the two LBXs of the Stride Enforcers got close to the train. Two military groups broke out with gun fires and blade clashing but neither of them damaged the train.

"Zach, stop the train while we distract the Ferars." Hiro ordered as he controlled Word to shoot bullets at a few Deqoos and DCQs with two gun edged blades. Ely controlling Evelpista on the other hand, sliced several of them with a tech bastard sword.

"And don't break it, Slowpoke." Ely smirked.

"Hmph, who says Forasaku and I would break it, Siri?" Zach smirked.

Unknown to the Ferars, Forasaku ran beside the train with two pairs of modeled rollerblades. As if it were a race, Forasaku got in the first place and stopped at the train track. It stood there, waiting for the train to come nearly close to its position until it did.

"On your mark,"

Forasaku strecthed its arms and legs out, making a starting position.

"Get set,"

He saw the train running fast with the battle going on top of it and it was now 3 yards away from his LBX.

"Go!"

In a flash, Forasaku ran. The rollerblades increasing its speed and accuracy, the same percentage of miles per hour as the train but it was set in miles per seconds. Forasaku brought up its arms as Zach had it collided with the train with a strong force that could push the transportation vehicle back and to prevent it upon moving foward.

The Ferars were caught by surprise when they lost their balance after the impact. Seeing it as a chance for the Strides, Ely commanded her LBX to hover towards the controls as Hiro and Zach hold off the remaining LBXs to cover her.

As she finally reached for the controls, she landed Evelpista on it and had it download overwrite codes onto the machine. In less than ten seconds, the download was complete. The Stride Enforcers won.

 **Attention battlers. The Jaguar Train of Ferar is captured and is now owned by the Stride Enforcers. Both groups must return to their respective Carriers.**

* * *

Hiro and the Stride Enforcers team gave each other high fives.

"Alright! We got the Jaguar train baby!" Zach cheered.

"Nice work, guys." Taichi complimented happily.

"Yeah nice work," Ely smiled in amused, "for not breaking the train, Slowpoke."

However, Zach only made a silly grin. "Again, why would I break the train, Siri? Forasaku and I would never break such a thing."

"As in breaking the Skylight plane?" Zach glared at the grinning Co-Captain while Ely and Taichi tried their best not to laugh. They still remember that funny scenario and it was now replaying in their heads.

The Skylight plane that Hiro mentioned was owned by the Raventerrors group. They were ordered to capture it and to do that they had to fight their way to the plane in air. For an Ace Speedster like Zach, he wasn't much a fan of flying due to his LBX having just rollerblades instead of rocket boots. He slid off his saucer the moment he forgot to set the speedster mode off and crash into the plane from five hundred feet as the plane just received a broken wing, causing it to crash to the ground. They didn't successfully capture it after that and it was in beyond repairing. Even if they hadn't taken over the plane, Ely found it funny when she saw the incident with Zach in it.

"Really Hiro, do you have to bring that up now just to ruin the mood?" Hiro laughed.

"Sorry man I was only suggesting." Zach rolled his eyes at that.

"Suggesting as in 'reminding' that I did break the damn plane once!"

"Geez, I said I'm sorry, okay?" Hiro said. "Besides that incident was two months ago and you haven't even start breaking things again during these war times."

"Whatever."

Then the speaker turned on followed by the same voice they heard thirty minutes ago.

"Hiro, come see me in my office."

"Now?" Hiro asked.

"Yes, now." Then the speaker went off, leaving the group curious by his sudden request.

"I wonder what Old-timer wants with you?" They turned to Hiro.

They knew he hadn't done nothing wrong now. Last year was like a disaster when he and Zach were troublemakers until they changed into more of responsible people after their captain, which was the voice they listened to a while ago, assigned them to high ranks. But they still act like children but they only do it for good reasons.

Hiro just shrugged. "Only one way to find out."

* * *

 **Do you like it? This is my first fanfic of Danball Senki so please at least give me a few honest opinions about this and tell me what's very confusing to you. And if you're wondering why these LBXs aren't familiar to you, just to inform you these LBXs exists and I found them somewhere in the internet. They're not entirely in the wiki yet but I found most of them in some of the websites which all of them are related to modeling like gunpla and others too. Surprisingly Twitter has them too. So here's a note; I do not own these LBXs and the Danball Senki series, except my OCs. They all belong to their respective owners.**


	3. Mission II

Hiro walked down the main halls, passing a few automatic doors and several manual ones, including soldiers like him who were walking by as well. Most of them gave him praises and remarks for capturing the train which he kindly took them.

Finally he stopped by a door which automatically opened itself.

A man in a black military uniform glanced up from his papers and saw the Co-Captain stepping in.

"Something you want to talk about, Caps?" Hiro asked.

The man sitting at the desk was the Captain of the Stride Enforcers. Caine McCloud. He was one of the best 5 Ranking Commanders of the AI government; a 3rd Rank within the top 5. But ranks didn't matter much to Hiro. What's so special about this particular adult in forties with messy jet black hair with a few visible grey streaks, grey stormy eyes, and a small scar that have been marked on the right of his forehead as if it were a scratch from an eagle was entitled as 'The Black Giant'; not because of his height (he was only five to six feet tall) and the color of his uniform though but his LBX's were. This Captain and Commander shouldn't be taken lightly if you're off on a battlefield and face him with his LBX.

Caine ignored the nickname as he smiled. He gestured the blunette to have a seat which he did obediently.

"Yes there is something I would like to discuss with you, Hiro." He said, his voice was tense.

Hiro didn't react but was surprised secretly as Caine continued. "Have you heard of anyone passing in our squad?"

Hiro blinked. "Passing? In the Stride Enforcers?"

Caine nodded. "There was rarely a soldier within this squad since the missions and the trainings I gave you were, difficult as you would say they were. Now this year there was one passing. Compare that person to you during you're struggle of my so called play and train, and give me a good reason why that person passed and get a good credit?"

The young Co-Captain shrugged. "Your play and train were difficult, true. But I don't seem to complain about it." He began. "We are living in a dead world right now. A world filled with wars, devastation, despair, and many other negative things mankind might suffer before they extinct. The guy may get the idea that I've been thinking so if I were him I would be joining the government and fi.. find answers."

The Commander stared at him. "Answers?"

Hiro shot up after realizing upon what he just said. "I mean solutions! Solutions to our problems! Not answers hehehe..."

They sat there in silence while they stare. Hiro could barely hear himself breathing nervously and his seat was less comfortable than earlier as he didn't take his eyes off from Caine. The adult did the same, though his expression wasn't clearly identified and it wouldn't help any better for the poor blunette only causing him to panic a bit in the inside.

Would he find out? He could only wait until a minute passed.

After a minute went by, there was a muffle from the Commander's lips. Then that muffle turned to a loud audible laughter.

Hiro just sat there looking at his captain, wide eyed and speechless and dumbfounded as Caine continued laughing like he was some kind of maniac. He had never heard of him laugh this way before.

"You know I just don't really get you."

That only made Caine laugh even harder until he stopped, but still chuckling a little.

"Hiro," He chuckled. "You can't really get me."

"Huh?"

"And I can't believe you were this stupid when you didn't know the reason for you being here in the fisrt place!" He laughed again but in a lower tone.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hiro pouted.

"Don't you get it? You're the one passing."

"I-I am?"

"Yes." Caine nodded. "Congratulations Oozora. You're now a soldier of the AI government."

* * *

"Really!?" Zach, Ely and Taichi shouted in unison.

Hiro told them to lower it down, reminding them that they were still in Zach and Hiro's room. Their room didn't have the effect to make the sound non-audible to the other rooms. So one big shout and the other side would start screaming at them for making a ruckus in the middle of the night, which it was already late.

Zach didn't care as he pulled Hiro into a bro hug.

"I'm proud of you, man!"

He smiled but frowned seconds later, "I'm sorry if it was me passing. It would've been you."

To be honest, Hiro wasn't the only one interested enough to join the AI government. Zach was. And he knew it was his dream to be in the army.

"Yeah I know it's such a shame," Zach grinned. "But on the bright side, our Co-Captain's in it!"

Taichi agreed with him. "I guess we just have to work hard for our ticket to the government. We still got your back even if you'll leave us here with the squad."

Hiro couldn't help but feel glad that he had such caring teammates. Even if he left them they would catch up to aid him whatever's offending him in harm's way.

Then he noticed Ely being quiet during the talk. She hasn't spoken yet after he told them the news of his passing.

He let her have some thought with herslef when he announced, "We should go to sleep."

"Yeah and you'll have your training tomorrow." Zach pointed out.

"Well goodnight." Without another word, Ely already left.

"Good luck with your training tomorrow." And with that, Taichi left as well.

After some time, both Hiro and Zach were already in bed. But Hiro couldn't sleep as his mind was drifting off to Ely and her strange behavior.

"I wonder if she's okay?" He asked himself.

"You mean Siri?"

Hiro was surprised. "You're still awake?"

Zach shrugged. "Well, how can I sleep? How can _we_ sleep if Siri is not herself this time?"

"I seem to get your point."

"Exactly."

"But I think you got a huge crush on her." Hiro teased.

Then he found his face being hit by a pillow. Once he shoved it from his sight, he saw Zach's cheeks tainted in rosy red.

"Dude your pillow is covered in drool," Hiro complimented jokingly. "were you snoring?"

Zach murmured. "Said who made the loudest snore in this room. That's your pillow by the way."

"Oh Zachary, " Hiro pretended to look hurt. "You don't mean it, do you?"

"Oh shut up and stop making those puppy eyes, Mr. Impossible." Zach said. "I'm going back to my sleep."

"Night again, Zach."

"Goodnight, lousy matchmaker."

Hiro chuckled as he heard his friend finally fell asleep and snoring.

Was my snore really that loud? He thought in mused.

Just before he slept as well, he thought about what Caine told him earlier.

* * *

 _"This world is not dead." He said. "Nor is it filled with endless nightmares that we wished they were. You'll get your answers, Hiro. Soon you'll have them and the rest besides that."_

* * *

What did he mean by that? What rest was he talking about?

His mind was too wary to answer as sleep finally came to his view.

Closing his eyes, he only saw a void. Breathing each time until he breathe something that wasn't awfully like his room. Fresh air with a strong natural scent of grass.

He reopened his eyes, and he found himself lying on a beautiful prairie.

He sat up and touched the long grass. They looked sharp but they were smooth as solid metal.

"Hiro!"

He turned to whoever was calling him and saw her. Yes the person calling him was a girl. About a year younger than him although, she awfully look like a real woman. She was wearing a tight black top with pink stripes, green shorts with black stripes at each side, and there was a white coat tied around her waist.

She giggled before running off. "Catch me if you can."

He blinked and snapped back as he ran after.

The sun was shining and the sky was blue with white fluffy clouds hovering by. The gentle breeze swept towards the grass as they sway as if they were dancing.

While as Hiro and the girl were running in the widely vast prairie, the blunette never felt so alive and so carefree. The girl seemed to be feeling the same way as he does and he hardly believed that the world wasn't bad at all. But a wonderful place.

He got close to her when they reached an oak tree as he managed to capture her by jumping on her.

The girl made a surprise gasp as the two rolled over and Hiro found her being on top of him after she judo-flipped him.

He looked at her face. There was shadow shading there but he only made out of her lips which were curved in a smile.

"You lose." She said gleefully.

Hiro coudn't help but acting like a spoil child. "Aw.. No fair."

She giggled. "Face it, Oozora. Win is a win."

The two sat up as they sat there under the tree.

They sat comfortably for quite a while, staring at the landscape tainted in various colors as if they were looking at a painting made by the most talented painter.

Without thinking or thought what he was doing, Hiro put his fingers onto the long strands of the girl's hair. Brushing them with his fingers like a comb as he asked. "Why aren't your hair tied in a ponytail?"

Why was I asking that? It looked fine on her. He thought as he continued caressing her hair. They were cherry colored.

She didn't seem to mind him doing it but he could tell she was blushing as she shrugged. "Maybe because I don't feel like doing it."

He stopped brushing and looked at her.

"Tell me what's wrong?"

Why did I ask? He thought.

The girl looked hesitant and Hiro noticed there was liquid rolling down through her cheek.

Was she crying?

"Grandfather passed away last week," she sobbed quietly, she couldn't hold herself any longer as her eyes were burst into tears. "And-and I don't know what's left for me. I lost my parents and now-"

Please don't cry. But he didn't say it, he just hugged her. He felt her hands clinging onto his shirt and her tears soaked it dank. But he didn't care, he let her have it all out until it was the right time to calm her down. He whispered soothing words that he didn't realize he was saying them as her tensed shoulders lowered. Her sobs fading and was now silent.

Hiro sighed and asked. "What did gramps say before he left?"

She didn't make an eye contact with him and replied with a strughle that she could not cease. "Before he left, he told me to be strong."

Hiro smiled. "And that's what you have to do."

"Hiro-"

"Listen," He told her. "I know loosing someone who you have left hurts a lot. I get the feeling. But like what he said, you have to be strong."

"But I fell weak."

"That's the first stage." He explained. "But in the next stage you won't. Gramps didn't ask you to be strong. He wanted you to promise him that you'll be strong for him and move on. He wanted you to have a good life with friends, continue your hobbies, and make a new family for a living at least."

He never knew he would say those words, especially that last line, and he could've sworn his face felt hot and his cheeks were tainted in the same color as the girl's hair.

She looked at him, even though there was shadow over her forehead and to where her eyes wete located, he knew she was looking at him.

Then she smiled, warmly.

"You know what I hate about you?" She asked.

She didn't seem to mean it and Hiro figured she meant the other way around.

"Tell me."

Her hand reached up to his cheek as she grasped it. Then Hiro held hers with his hand as their faces were nearly three inches away from each other.

At long last, he finally saw her eyes. Two pairs of lively neon yellow orbs looking into dark brown ones.

She answered. "You cheering me up."

* * *

Hiro immediately sat up when he heard a bang made by Zach who was banging with a baseball bat at an alarm clock.

It was making endless rings but thankfully, it stopped after a few huge bangings that Zach blew as he put the bat aside.

"Stupid alarm clock." Zach murmured in a grumpy tone.

He didn't notice Hiro fully awake as he laid back on his bed and covered himself with a blanket.

As he watched his friend fell asleep, he couldn't help but sigh and thought about what he saw earlier. The prairie, the sky, the sun, the tree, and the girl. He had seen her several times in his sleep and he had no idea why. Somehow though, he knew her as if he had met her before.

He quietly stood up from his bed. Trying not to wake his roommate, he tip toed his way to his own desk. Then he slowly pulled the drawer and took out a folded piece of paper. It was rather crumbled but still in good shape as he unfolded the paper.

He sighed. He had been asking the same question right after he woke up from a dream with that girl in it.

"Who are you really?" He whispered.

On the paper, there was a three letter word but it was a name actually.

 _Ran_

* * *

 **There I have made the longest chapter! Hope this doesn't confuse you. But leave a review if there are anything confusing. 'Till next time, toodles~! (By the way, this plot is took place around the year of 2056. Hope this helps you my first reviewer aka Guest. ;) )**


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